Interview: Jack Lewis (L) for the 2nd U.S. House District for the State of Idaho

By: Ky Starr 

1. What distinguishes you from your opponents?
My Democratic opponent wants to expand "transfer of payments", meaning more extraction of money from our pockets to fund social programs.  My Republican opponent wants to consolidate power over how individuals live their lives.  My positions are that citizens should live their lives as they see fit, as long as they do not harm others in the process; and that they should retain control over their funds and other assets without fear of having them confiscated by government for its own purposes.

2. What is the greatest challenge of public service?
Not to lose your personal integrity and beliefs in the face of tremendous pressure from leaders, peers, lobbyists, and constituents.

3. What is the most important issue facing the 2nd District?
Over half of the land in the 2nd District is owned by the federal and state governments.  It is thus available for development (if at all) only with restrictions which preclude efficient use.  This land, and similar lands in Western states, should be sold at market value to interested parties.  The sale funds could be used to bring down the deficit.

4. What advice would you give someone thinking of running for public office? Be prepared to give up your privacy and most of your time.  Be true to your beliefs and principles, even though they may be unpopular.  Do not try to be all things to all people.  Don't pretend to be someone you're not.

5. What is your favorite political book?
"Parliament of Whores,"  in which author P.J. O'Rourke attempts to explain the entire U.S. government.  Better than any civics text, and unfortunately all true.

6. What was your favorite political TV program?
The PBS weekly program, "Washington Week in Review."  Head and shoulders above the others.

7. How did you become involved in the (L) Party?

My early voting record was undedicated Republican - undedicated because of misgivings over their desires to control personal behavior through legislation.  My initial exposure to libertarian concepts came through reading Harry Browne's "How I Found Freedom In an Unfree World" in the late '70s.  I joined both the national and Idaho Libertarian Parties in the early '80s, and have supported them ever since.
 

8. Who are your political mentors? What are some of your favorite political quotes?

Primarily Harry Browne, since his message is practical rather than philosophical.  Open any issue of Reason magazine, or visit the Cato Institute website, or the Future of Freedom Foundation website.  Almost all of their regular contributors have helped me sharpen my thinking.


9. Will the U.S. invade Iraq by December 2002? Should they invade?
If Iraq is not invaded by Election Day, there really won't be any political reason to do so later.  My belief is that the Iraq issue has been tailored by our leaders to deflect attention and criticism from the issues of corporate mismanagement, mishandling of the economy, and rapidly decreasing public support for the un winnable drug war.

Of course we should not invade Iraq.  It is this type of thinking that has brought enmity and scorn from our enemies, and lack of support from our allies.  We support many countries that have worse records than Iraq, mostly because of our own selfish interests.

10. If you were in Congress today, what would be your first bill to sponsor?
A bill to repeal the patently unconstitutional sections of the ironically-named USAPATRIOT Act.  Of course, that means almost all of it.

11. Why should the citizens of the State of IDAHO elect you on Nov. 5th, 2002?
Idaho voters are practical folks who don't like to waste resources and money.  I'm the only candidate pledged to drastically reduce the size of government, and to eliminates its intrusions into our daily lives.

12. What are three legislative bills in the U.S. House that you support and why?
a.  The bill allowing airline pilots to be armed

b.  The bill repealing the income tax, abolishing the IRS, and enacting a state-run national sales tax.

c.  The bill allowing payment vouchers for students.                                             

13. What is your view on the recent Enron debacle? Will the new federal law be effective?
Regarding Enron itself, the problem originated with the "regulated deregulation" of energy transfer, primarily in California.  As is common in government-run programs, companies looked for loopholes, found them, and exploited them. Relaxation of accounting principles, agreed to by government agencies, contributed to the Enron, MCI, and other fiascos.  I doubt that the new law will work any better than those in effect "BE" (Before Enron), since afflicted companies will run to their buddies in all branches of government, asking for leniency.

14. Do you support the current Tax cuts passed by the House?
I support them, as they are a tacit admission by government that it has been extracting far too much money from taxpayers for years. However, the next step is to drastically reduce the size and cost of government so that much less tax money is needed in the future.

15. How do you improve education in IDAHO and around the U.S?
Eliminate the Department of Education, remove Federal and state control over all aspects of education, and allow the use of vouchers.  At the state and local level, taxes raised for education should be proportional to the number of family members actually enrolled in school.

16. What type of Health care reform will you be a proponent for in D.C.?
As a pharmacist for 40 years, I have personally observed and experienced the mess that Medicare and Medicaid have created in the health system.  When my parents were living, my father effectively had a part-time job filling out Medicare forms.  My pet name for Medicare is the Senior Citizen Full Employment Act.  The Medicare pharmacy regulation manual is pnone-book sized, as are the manual for all the other health-care entities.  Has all this regulation bought us any better health?  No, over 100,000 pages of regulations have created longer waits for care, skyrocketing costs,  and agencies like the FDA have stifled innovation.

I hope to be able to prevent the Feds from getting more involved in prescription coverage.  The inevitable distortions in supply and demand, coupled with the gross inefficiency of another government program, will lead to a lower quality of care.

The federal government should cut all financial and regulatory strings associated with Medicaid, and allow the states to run the program on their own as an optional service